On November 02, the Indian Navy has used an IAF C-17 transport aircraft to precision airdrop Marine Commandos (MARCOS) in an overseas anti-piracy operation. The Navy rescued all 20 crew members of the hijacked Iranian fishing vessel Azini, off the northeastern coast of Somalia. The operation which involved the missile destroyer INS Kolkata, lasted more than 48 hours and ended without any casualties or injuries.

An official release mentioned an IAF C-17 being used to augment the MARCOS deployed for the operation. This is the second publicly documented use of an IAF C-17 to airdrop MARCOS for an overseas anti-piracy operation. The first was the Indian Navy's operation against the hijacked bulk carrier MV Ruen in March 2024. That operation too involved the INS Kolkata.

Earlier this week, the Navy deployed INS Kolkata to intercept Azini, with support from a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The forces maintained surveillance of the vessel, tracked its movement and used ‘calibrated non-kinetic measures’ to contain it and prevent its escape.

The Iranian vessel had been hijacked by an armed pirate group earlier last month off the coast of Somalia. The Navy said the hijacking posed a wider maritime security threat since Azini could potentially have been used as a mother ship to launch further attacks against merchant vessels in the region.

The Embassy of Iran in India issued a statement thanking the Indian Government, Indian Navy and the Air Force for rescuing 20 Iranian crew on the vessel. The statement read, "We highly commend the professionalism, courage and effective coordination demonstrated by the Indian Armed Forces, reflecting India's strong commitment to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and its role in saving lives beyond borders. This humanitarian operation stands as a testament to the spirit of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Iran and India."

The MARCOS were airdropped from the C-17, took part in the tactical intervention that secured the vessel and overcame the pirate threat. Arms including G3 rifles, AK-47s and RPG-7s were recovered from the pirates.

During the Ruen operation, the Navy was responding to a pirate-controlled merchant vessel that had been hijacked in December 2023. INS Kolkata intercepted the vessel about 260 nautical miles east of Somalia after tracking it through sustained surveillance. The pirates had opened fire on the warship and shot down a naval surveillance drone.

The Navy then brought in additional assets, including INS Subhadra, P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft and a high-altitude long endurance remotely piloted aircraft. On March 16, 2024, an IAF C-17 airdropped MARCOS into the area along with their combat boats. The operation was conducted about 2,600 km from mainland India.

The C-17 mission during Ruen involved the airdrop of two Combat Rubberised Raiding Craft and 18 MARCOS with their combat load. The aircraft flew for almost 10 hours and conducted the mission while maintaining secrecy and avoiding detection. The operation ended with all 35 Somali pirates surrendering and all 17 original crew members being safely evacuated. The vessel was also checked for illegal arms, ammunition and other contraband.

The repeat use of the C-17 in Azini shows the Navy and Air Force using the same long-range air insertion capability in another maritime security operation. In both cases, the aircraft provided a way to rapidly place Marine Commandos and their equipment at a location far from the Indian coast. The recent operation also involved sustained surveillance, a naval warship and maritime reconnaissance assets before the final intervention.

The Navy described the operation as an example of its ability to conduct complex maritime security missions through inter-service coordination. It also reaffirmed India's role as a first responder and preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region.

Savio Rodrigues

Savio Rodrigues is a Research Analyst at Escape Velocity MediaWorks Pvt Ltd and writes for Chakra News on Defence, Geopolitics, National Security. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Mumbai.